Rajasthan Assembly passed bill to increase OBC quota from existing 21% to new 26 per cent on Thursday (26/10/2017). As per the Rajasthan state government decision 5% reservation quota will be given to five most backward OBC communities of state including Gujjars and other four casts which were earlier declared as special backward classes(SBC) by the Supreme Court.

The newly passed OBC bill by Rajasthan government has raised the overall reservations quota to 54%. This is against the Supreme Court’s order of keeping the reservation quota not more than 50 per cent.

According to the Backward Classes (Seats reservations in Educational Institutions in the State and of Appointment, Posts in Services under the State) Bill, 2017, give 5 per cent reservation to Banjara, Baldiya, Labana; Gadiya Lohar, Gadoliya; Gujar, Gurjar; Raika, Rebari, Debasi and Gadariya, Gadri, Gayari.

The Rajasthan High Court a year ago struck down five per cent booking for these casts given through the Rajasthan Special Backward Classes Act, 2015, calling attention to defects in the government’s procedure of allowing reservation. With the 2015 SBC Act, the government had moved the five castes from OBC into a different Special Backward Castes class. But, the Act was subdued and the government placed them again into the OBC list on May 19 this year.